Second Star
by dustkeeper
Summary: "We're more alike than you may believe." In which only true love's kiss can break the spell, and it's not always from someone you expected. TerencexWendy
1. Chapter 1

Terence jumped as a sudden scream echoed throughout the forest. It was high-pitched and loud - clear signs of a female clumsy. The only clumsies on Neverland were Indians and pirates, and since he was quite certain the pirates were busy on the Jolly Roger under the command of the nasty Captain James Hook, his best guess was an Indian. Surprisingly, the usual urge to fly wasn't as difficult to repress as the former-sparrowman sprinted towards the source of the voice. He had been trying so hard to force himself to rely solely on his feet that, at times, he almost forgot he could once fly.

As the blond drew nearer to the noise, he recognized the accompanying growls almost instantly, _'Neverwolves_.' During his life in the Hollow, Terence had never needed to fight off the vicious predators in the safety of his home, but his new location and size made him a prime target for their dinner on several occasions. From what he was hearing, another clumsy was currently experiencing his newfound irritation.

The clumsy was backed up against a tree when he found her, holding her shoe in one raised hand as if threatening to slap the wolves with it should they dare to inch too close; her notably pale skin and unusual dress told him she was definitely not a native. The girl obviously didn't stand a chance against the canines, and though he hadn't much better odds himself, he wasn't about to let her get eaten.

Gripping his makeshift spear tightly in one hand, Terence emitted a battle cry as he swatted the wolves away, wasting no time as he tugged the clumsy off into the woods at the fastest pace he could manage.

Unfortunately, the girl wasn't as agile as he, "Please! I can't keep u-"

He heard her gasp, and he whirled around to see the ever-hungry carnivores leap out from the brush. Grunting, he scooped the clumsy up in his arms and fled.

He didn't stop running until he reached his hideout, all-but-gently forcing the helpless girl through the small opening to the cave before following her and blocking the path just in time. The wolves snarled and scratched furiously at the closed doorway, but to no avail. Ignoring the animals which posed no threat for the two any longer, he directed his attention toward the damsel he rescued.

She was a pretty clumsy, he admitted. Her curly brown locks were tied back with a bright azure bow which matched her dress, and her eyes sparkled even bluer. She busied herself with adjusting her bow and dusting the dirt off her skirts until she noted him staring. Glancing up at him, her cheeks reddened slightly. After an awkward moment of silence, the young lady smiled softly at him, "Thank you very much for saving me! My, I thought I was done for back there! Those wolves had most imperiously surrounded me out of nowhere and...! Why, if you hadn't come when you did..." Calming herself, she curtsied quickly, gratitude and admiration in her eyes, "My name is Wendy, by the way. Wendy Moira Angela Darling."

Blinking dumbly, the dust talent let her long name roll around in his mind before he returned her smile with one of his sparkling own, "Really? That's kinda pretty." He hadn't heard such a name before, especially one so long and complex.

Her features blushed even further, "Well, thank you...?"

Straightening himself up, he attempted to mimic her perfectly polite approach with a low curtsy of his own, barely having any idea of clumsy customs but not wishing to offend her, "My name is Terence."

She couldn't help but giggle at the sight, hand at her mouth, "Nice to meet you, Terence. That's a lovely name, as well."

Finding himself oddly flustered, Terence scratched the back of his neck in a nervous manner, "So, uh, what were you doing in that part of the forest? It's pretty dangerous, especially if you're alone."

"I was trying to go back to the hideout, but I'm embarrassed to say I became a little lost. Peter never did give me proper directions..." Wendy's previously relieved features shifted into a look he knew well: disappointment.

He didn't have to be a dustology genius to recognize the source of her mood swing, "Peter? Friend of yours?"

Her distant eyes focused, remembering she wasn't alone. Forcing a weak smile, she clarified, "Yes. I suppose that's what I am to him."

Terence's eyes softened as he realized how similar a predicament the two were going through. The one reason he became human was unrequited feelings. The blond wasn't sure exactly how he thought his change of size would help him, however. Perhaps, he mused, if he was just like Peter Pan - an exciting, bold clumsy - Tinker Bell would like him, instead.

_'Peter_...'

Terence busied himself with preparing tea with the results of his amateur tinkering skills, talking over his shoulder, "Peter Pan, right?"

Surprise lined her tone, "Why, yes! Do you know him?"

He shrugged, not sure if that was the right wording for it; he never interacted with the boy himself, "I know someone who does. She gushes over him all the time, but he's never really returned her affections. Actually, from what I hear, he banished her from his sight."

He heard Wendy gasp, "Tinker Bell! He banished her because she tried to kill me."

He wasn't expecting that. He knew Tink had a temper, but not once had he known her to be so violent, especially to someone who appeared to be so sweet and harmless. She really _had_ changed since she left Pixie Hollow. Turning to face her, he prodded, "Tink tried to kill you? Why?"

The brunette blushed, "Well... I tried to give Peter a kiss."

Despite how serious an attempt on the girl's life was, the blond choked back a laugh. Yep, that's more like Tink all right. Jealousy had always been a weakness of hers, especially after befriending Vidia. "That's a bad thing to try around Tink. She definitely has a temper. She... means well, though."

"Oh, I can't say I hold it against her, of course. Especially now, going through what she must have felt." Wendy stared down at her folded hands, "I saw Princess Tigerlily kiss Peter. I was so angry I... I ran away. I wished to go home, but instead..."

Terence nodded, absorbing the information he'd just learned. Scooping the milkweed dip into the teacups, he gestured for her to take a seat on his bed and handed her a cup of tea, "Sounds like that boy's causing all kinds of problems."

"Thank you," Wendy sipped the drink, finding it calmed her more than she expected it to. "Is Tinker Bell... all right?"

He shrugged, pulling up a large rock for a seat, "I don't know. I've been trying to find her for days in these woods, but those wolves... I guess I'm still not used to doing things as a clumsy."

"Clumsy? Why, I don't think you're clumsy at all!" Her confusion was evident on her face, as well as a line of milkweed dip.

Trying hopelessly to contain his laughter, he reached out with a finger to wipe the trail of drink off her face, "You've got a little dip on your face."

Her cheeks burned, "Oh. Th-Thank you..."

Their gazes locked for a long moment, before Terence glanced down at his teacup, fidgety, "I, uh, used to be a sparrowman."

Recognition lit up her eyes, "Oh! A male fairy! How lovely! What happened?"

One side of his mouth lifted despite himself, "I saved this old Indian lady's baby from a snake, and she gave me a wish as a gift. I wanted to become a clumsy because I... I wanted..."

He trailed off, unsure of whether or not his reasoning would sound stupid to her. He was astonished when Wendy finished his own sentence for him, "... you wanted Tinker Bell to admire you like she does Peter?"

Terence blinked his blue eyes dumbly, "How... how did you know?" Was he really that obvious?

She sent him a wry smile, despite herself, "We're more alike than you may believe." Wendy stood, gingerly handing the tea cup to the blond, "Thank you very much for everything, Terence, but I'm afraid I must go. My brothers will be wondering where I am..."

Alarmed, Terence sprung out of his seat to stop her, "Now? But... what about those wolves?" He wasn't sure they were really gone.

She seemed anxious at the mention of the creatures, but stood her ground, "I-I'll be fine. Surely they must have moved on by now, and I certainly do not wish to impose on your night."

Terence remained reluctant to let her leave. Not only was he concerned for her safety, but she was the only company he'd had in a while, "Hey, I've got nothing to do. I'm too big to go back to Pixie Hollow, so I'm pretty much-"

Her eyes lit up as she cut in, "Pixie Hollow? Is that where the fairies live?"

A large grin spread across his features, "Yeah... I can take you there, you know, if you want me to. Wolves never hunt there. I think Fawn might have something to do with it, now that I think about it. She's an animal talent fairy."

Wendy was so thrilled she lifted off the floor slightly, still having a bit of the pixie dust Tinker Bell had given her in London, "Animal talent? The kind that can talk to animals?"

Certain he had caught her attention now, he grabbed her hand, "Yeah, there's all kinds of fairies! There's water talents, garden talents, light talents, and tinkers, like Tink."

"What kind of fairy are you, Terence?" She inquired, trying to keep her feet on the ground.

Terence couldn't help but feel smug, standing up straight, "Me? Oh, I'm a dust talent. I take care of all the pixie dust in Pixie Hollow and distribute it to the other fairies."

Wendy's free hand flew up to her cheek in her glee, "How fascinating! I've never imagined! I...-" She paused, then shyly asked, "Would you... I mean, can I... may I see it?"

"Of course!" He proceeded to help her out the exit to the hideout, too excited to remember to check for the wolves, "You're going to love it, Wendy! At night, it's all lit up with pixie dust, even when no fairies are awake!"

He continued to describe the highlights of the Hollow as they travelled through the forest, Wendy listening with an air of awe.

* * *

><p>"Oh, my!"<p>

Pixie Hollow was ten times more wonderful than how Terence had described it to be! The entire trunk sparkled with dust, and cheery music poured out from around it. Pairs of fairies twirled around in a graceful dance, while others mingled amiably amongst each other.

"What's going on?" Wendy asked Terence, "It seems that they're having some sort of party."

He beamed, "It's the Winter Moon Ball! Every year, on the first full moon of the winter season, the fairies have a ball to celebrate the work of the fairies on the Mainland! Every talent decorates the Hollow, and the music talents perform all night! Every fairy looks forward to it all year." (Disclaimer: I completely made that up. xD)

Wendy watched the fairy couples waltz around her, entranced, "How lovely!"

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Terence's eager features falter as he watched his friends have fun without him, unable to join them due to his change of size. Her heart clenched.

Impulsively, she reached out and took his hands, "May I have this dance, sir?"

Tugging him from out of their hiding place into the nearby clearing, she curtsied, and, despite himself, Terence couldn't help but crack a smile, mirroring her actions. Wendy laughed.

He placed their hands in the proper waltz posture, and slowly, they began to waltz around the clearing. Wendy's eyes sparkled in the light of the pixie dust-coated area, and Terence soon forgot all about his prior sadness.

Unseen by the two humans, four fairies peered out from the brush nearby.

"Is that Terence?" Silvermist beamed, overjoyed to see her friend after such a long absence.

"Why is he... a clumsy?" Iridessa wondered aloud from beside her.

"More importantly, who's that sugarplum he's dancing with?" Rosetta inquired, studying the clumsy girl carefully.

"She doesn't look like an indian or a pirate." Fawn remarked, equally curious.

"Maybe she turned him into a clumsy! She could be a witch!" Iridessa fretted, worried as ever.

"She turned Terence into a clumsy so she could waltz with him?" Rosetta raised a brow, not convinced.

"I think she's pretty." Silvermist commented.

Fawn nudged her, grinning playfully, "By the way he's looking at her, Terence seems to think so, too."

Silvermist suddenly smirked, quietly drifting towards the dancing duo.

"Sil! What are you doing? Get back here!" Rosetta demanded as she and the remaining pixies sent the water talent incredulous glances.

Ignoring her plea, Silvermist sneaked up to the couple and tossed some of her pixie dust at them. It didn't take long for them to rise into the air, and the satisfied fairy returned to the brush to watch.

Terence barely noticed he was floating, caught in the wondrous feeling he was having as he danced with Wendy. He couldn't place his finger on it, just that it was something he hadn't felt for years and that he wished to feel for the rest of his life. Could it be... true happiness?

They waltzed for what felt like mere minutes but was actually well near an hour. Eventually, they returned to the floor, sitting against a large tree a little ways away from the Hollow.

Content, Wendy placed her head on Terence's shoulder, and he followed her movement by leaning his own head against hers. Everything else around them seemed to fade away, including the enchanting fairy ball that Wendy had previously found to have unmatched beauty.

"Would you look at that? Our little bee has found his honey in another flower at last!" Rosetta observed, pleasantly surprised that the dust keeper had seemed to move on.

Iridessa was skeptical, "But she's a clumsy, and he's..."

"A clumsy, now, too! Maybe this is where he's meant to be." Fawn suggested, optimistic.

"Yeah, maybe it is!" Silvermist parroted, as bubbly as the brook she loved.

"But what if it isn't?" Iridessa threw back, attempting to stay realistic.

"Yeah, what if it isn't?" Silvermist reflected, not sure which side to take.

Sending Silvermist a sharp look, Rosetta retorted, "If Terence is suddenly a happy hydrangea after ages of being a moping mimosa, don't you think he's found where he belongs? I'm tired of the sapling being so miserable without Tink around. I miss her, too, but crying about her leaving won't bring her back."

"She's right." Silvermist affirmed, adding quickly after more looks from her friends, "I really think so. This is the first time I've seen Terence smile so big in years."

Iridessa glanced at the ex-sparrowman, her expression softening, "I guess... I still think we should talk to Queen Ree about this, though."

While the pixies conversed unnoticed by the clumsies, the humans were having a chat of their own.

"Thank you for showing me Pixie Hollow, Terence." Wendy voiced her gratitude.

"Hey, no problem. I... I really wanted to see it, too." The blond admitted, hanging his head to study his boots absently.

He felt her squeeze his hand suddenly, his blue eyes drifting his gaze over to their intertwined fingers.

"I'm awfully sorry you cannot return to Pixie Hollow, Terence. You must be so terribly lonely... I hope you find Tinker Bell soon."

The ends of his mouth lifted slightly in a weak smile, "Yeah..."

"Oh! Why don't you come back with me to the hideout? I'm sure Peter would know where she has run off to, and we could help you search for her. Besides, I'm sure my brothers would find you absolutely fascinating! They love hearing my stories about fairies, and to hear some from an actual sparrowman would be a dream come true, I'm sure!"

Uncomfortable at the idea of seeking Peter Pan for help, he lightened up a bit as she went on, "You tell stories?"

"Why, yes. Every night, in the nursery to the boys. I love telling stories - especially about Peter Pan and the pirates!" She smiled, "I suppose that's why I'm so afraid to grow up. I'm expected to become a proper lady, soon, you see, and proper ladies do not spend their night in the nursery telling childish stories."

"Why not?"

"Oh, I don't know..." She placed her chin in her hand, "I suppose they're too busy learning etiquette, wearing beautiful dresses, and being introduced to suitors."

"What are suitors?" Terence had been hearing many terms he was unfamiliar with, becoming curious.

"Gentlemen requesting marriage from a lady, of course," an idea popped up in Wendy's mind, "Do fairies not get married?"

"I don't know. I'm not exactly sure what marriage is, to be honest," he sent her a crooked smile that made her heart flutter.

"Well, when you love someone very much..." The brunette thought for a moment, racking her brain for the right way to explain it, "... and you wish to be with them your whole life, you give them a ring and then promise yourself to them; you promise you will love and care for them as long as you both shall live, for better or for worse - even on the most ugly of days. Then, usually, you have children together, and the man has a job to provide for the family. You... you grow old together."

Terence's blue eyes sparkled in his captivation, "Whoa... that sounds... flitterific."

Wendy sighed, "Doesn't it? I would love to get married someday, but I would have to grow up. Sometimes I wish I could have both."

"Sometimes," Terence stated, "you have to give something up for something better in return. Hey," he nudged her side gently, "maybe you'll have marriage with someone else who enjoys telling stories. Then you can tell them to each other every day."

"That would be delightful! You know, Terence, you're right!" A new look of determination flashed in her eyes, "Perhaps growing up won't be so bad after all."

"Not with a positive attitude. We dust-keepers have a saying: 'Your smile should always be as bright as your pixie dust ration.'" Terence recited. Wendy giggled, causing him to smirk, "See? You're much prettier with a smile on your face!"

She gasped, flustered by the compliment. Realizing what had slipped out of his mouth, Terence coughed, "I, uh... I mean... nice... pixie dust..." He cringed, wanting to slap himself in the forehead for his awkwardness.

Blushing, the brunette turned her head to the side, placing a hand to her 'O'-shaped lips, "Well, thank you... I suppose." There was a moment of silence before Wendy inquired softly, "Terence, what will you do when you find Tinker Bell? Is there a way for you to become a sparrowman again?"

Resting his chin in his hand, he frowned, "I don't know. The old lady said that 'once love's found its rightful pair, true love's kiss will keep it there.'"

Wendy's eyes brightened, "Oh! Like in Snow White or Sleeping Beauty! True love's kiss always breaks the spell. That means we need to get Tinker Bell to kiss you!"

True love's kiss? He wasn't even completely sure how to kiss anyone, much less make anyone else kiss him. What was he supposed to do?

"But... how? Tink's head over heels for Peter Pan. What if... what if she doesn't like me, even after all this? What if I did this all for nothing?" Terence clenched his fists; he realized he hadn't been thinking clearly when he made the wish. He had risked everything on this; would he really lose it all?

His hand was squeezed tenderly once more, Wendy's voice soothing his unanticipated load of anxiety, "If it's true love, everything will work out in the end. You'll live happily ever after, just like in all my stories."

The right edge of his lips tugged up into a smile, "You really think so?"

"Yes," she stood, pulling Terence up with her, "Now, let's hurry along to the hideout! We haven't a moment to waste! Who knows where poor Tinker Bell was sent off to..."

"Wendy," Terence called out suddenly, causing her to stop and turn back at him inquisitively, "... Thank you."

She flushed prettily, beaming softly, "Your welcome."

-x-

_Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

Hangman's Tree was lively with the boys' loud whoops and singing as they scrambled into their hideout. Each boy donned feathers on their heads and war paint smeared over their cheeks - gifts from the Indian tribe for the safe return of Princess Tiger Lily. The children greatly appreciated the generous tokens, loving the game of pretending to be actual Indian braves. They were so elated, in fact, that they hadn't even realized their "mother" had been missing until their leader dropped into the tree, his feathers the grandest and most colorful of all the group.

"Big chief Flying Eagle greets his braves. How!" Peter's voice was low, closely imitating that of the Indian Chief.

"How!" The Lost Boys chorused in response.

Crossing his arms with an air of pride for his new position, Peter smirked, calling out, "Big chief Flying Eagle greets little mother. How!" When met with nothing but silence, the redhead lost character, scratching his head beneath his hat, "Hey, where's Wendy?"

At a loss, the boys proceeded to search under every nook and cranny for their absent mother, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Wendy! Where are you, mother?" They hollered, but there was still no sign of Wendy anywhere in the hideout.

"Hmm... Maybe she's still at the camp. Come on, men! We shall form a search party!" Pan declared.

Yelling out their agreement with his plan, they readied their weapons and followed him out of the tree...

Only to yell of surprise and confusion, for each of the group - even the fearless leader, Peter Pan - was suddenly and most rudely captured by the crew of the Jolly Roger. Captain Hook surveyed his triumph with a sinister smile on his lips, tweaking his curly mustache with his hook, "_I_ may have promised not to lay a finger on Peter Pan, but nothing was ever promised of my crew. Take them to the ship, men!"

Baring his teeth, Peter struggled against the ropes that had ensnared him, "What have you done with Wendy, you codfish?"

"Wendy? Oh, you mean the young lady in blue," he snickered, "I'm haven't a clue. Maybe she left you on her own."

"Wendy wouldn't do that!" John protested, narrowing his eyes behind his spectacles. His sister would never leave without her brothers at least knowing she did.

"Either way, that will be the least of your worries once you walk the plank! To the boat, ye scurvy scum!" Hook swung his hook towards the sea, the pirates promptly dragging their prey to the shore.

* * *

><p>"Terence, are you sure you know the way to Peter's hideout?" Wendy inquired as Terence led her by the hand through the forest. The forest was eerily dark, the only source of light being the moonlight filtering through the thick foliage that blocked their path. She couldn't help but feel nervous, especially after her run-in with the wolves.<p>

The ex-sparrowman smiled, gingerly lifting her over a particularly-big tree root, "Hangman's Tree? Of course! I had to make sure Tink was safe wherever she went, so I followed her there once. She told me about all the tunnels and secret passageways and how 'clever' she thought Pan was, but," he scrunched up his nose, "all I could think about was how dirty the place was. Everything was so unorganized..."

Wendy giggled, "Of course it is. Peter couldn't care less about order, except that he is the voice of it. Why, without a mother there to care for them, it's a wonder they're clean at all."

"So that's what a mother does? She cleans?" Terence deducted from her statement.

Being a pretend mother for the Boys, the young lady couldn't help but feel somewhat offended, "Well, that's not all she does. In fact, in my house, our dog Nana - she's our nurse - does most of the housekeeping. Mother..." Wendy slowed to a stop, taking her hand from his to place it to her cheek in thought as she gathered her words, "well, she's the most wonderful person in the world. She's the angel voice that bids you goodnight, kisses your cheek, whispers 'sleep tight.'" Blue eyes lit up in admiration as she described the wonderful qualities of her mother, "She's the helping hand that guides you along, whether you're right or wrong."

Terence was intrigued, "Is it her talent?"

Wendy blinked, drawn out of her daze, "I beg your pardon?"

The blond rephrased his question, "What makes mothers all that they are?"

The young girl giggled softly, "You might as well ask, 'What makes a star?' She's simply divine!"

"She sounds wonderful," Terence agreed, "I wish I could meet her."

"Oh, I'm sure she would love you, Terence!" Wendy smiled, taking his hand back in hers, "You did save my life, after all."

Blushing, Terence waved it off, "Hey! Forget about it."

The duo soon found themselves facing a wide creek - not just any creek, mind you. It was the dreaded Crocodile Creek. It was rightly named, as crocodiles often inhabited the waters. However, they weren't the most feared creatures that lived in it.

Bunyips, albeit rare, were the cause of many deaths of Neverland's residents. They were large and quite intimidating, with dog-like faces, walrus-like tusks, and long horse-like tails. They hid themselves well amongst the stepping stones of the creek, but there was a slim chance of escaping its hunger when one made itself known to its prey.

With the knowledge of such a fearsome monster lurking in the depths, it was a wonder anyone dared to cross the creek. Crocodile Creek stretched so far across the island, however, that crossing the stream cut short what would have been days traveling around it, and our heroes had little time to waste.

"I'll go first," Terence placed a boot-clad foot on the closest rock, testing its stability. When it proved safe enough, he moved his entire weight onto it, outstretching a hand for Wendy to take, "Here."

The brunette seemed somewhat wary of the possible dangers that came with stepping onto the stone, but nonetheless joined him on the rock, glancing down at the rushing water with dread.

The dustkeeper talent noticed her discomfort, "See? It's perfectly safe." An aura of confidence cloaking him, Terence reached his leg out to move to the next boulder, but something caught his leg, pulling him under.

"Terence!" Wendy shrieked, frozen in fear as she watched her companion descend into the murky waters.


End file.
